Aaron Baddeley Earns Third Career PGA TOUR Victory

~ Badds! - Aaron Baddeley captures first PGA TOUR victory since 2007 and celebrates with his family ~

Throughout the 2011 Northern Trust Open, worldwide golf fans were focused on the resurgence of Fred Couples, the 51-year-old, former world number one golfer who hadn't won on the PGA TOUR since 2003, but had played exceedingly well throughout the tournament's first three rounds in spite of an aching back.

Yet, golf commentators and fans alike had failed to recognize the resurgence of another golfer who, in spite of his youth, had not obtained a PGA TOUR victory in almost four years.

When he first became a golfing professional, Aaron Baddeley was distinguished as one of the world's most promising golfers - and he soon responded with victories throughout Australia and Europe.

A second-place finish at the 2003 Sony Open in Hawaii, in which he lost in a playoff to Ernie Els, at the tender age of 21, showed that he certainly had the talent to win on the PGA TOUR - and soon.

But, Baddeley was unable to taste PGA TOUR victory for another three seasons, when he defeated Jim Furyk by one stroke at the 2006 Verizon Heritage - a tournament which is annually held at Harbour Town Golf Links, a course which has challenged some of the world's greatest golfers for more than 40 years.

Upon winning the Verizon Heritage, Baddeley began to play consistently well as he regularly contended in Europe, Australia, and the United States. Suddenly, he was playing to his true potential and, as a result, he had become recognized as one of the TOUR's top Australian golfers - and a sure bet to obtain further PGA TOUR victories.

In early 2007, he defeated John Rollins by one stroke at the FBR Open for his second PGA TOUR victory. However, after a successful, consistent 2007 PGA TOUR campaign, Baddeley struggled to maintain his form and rarely contended for tournaments throughout the next three seasons, in spite of his youth and natural golfing capabilities.

Just as some golfing commentators and fans were beginning to dismiss his abilities to become one of the TOUR's top young talents, Baddeley shocked the golfing world again with his victory at the 2011 Northern Trust Open - a tournament that has been contested at the highly reputable Riveria Country Club since the early 1970s.

Throught the week, Baddeley played consistently well and successfully ignored the media hype that had followed Couples since Thursday afternoon. With rounds of 67, 69, 67, and 69, Baddeley overcame the challenges of some of the world's most successful golfers, including former world number ones Vijay Singh and David Duval; seven-time PGA TOUR winner K.J. Choi; and fellow Australian Robert Allenby.

With a renewed sense of confidence, and yet another professional tournament victory, how will Baddeley respond throughout the coming months of the 2011 season though? Is a major championship victory obtainable?

Although he is only 29-years-old, Baddeley is already a seasoned veteran who has overcome numerous close calls and disappointments on the golf course; enjoyed various successes throughout the world; and has continued to maintain a positive mentality and spirit through it all.

With such an attitude, Baddeley will likely display his golfing skills in major championships throughout the coming years...and contend for some of the world's most coveted tournaments well into the future.

The golfing world knows that Baddeley surely has the game to be a regular contender on the PGA TOUR. But, how will he react? If his performance at Riveria is any sign of future success, the best is yet to come for Baddeley....as he turns 30 in March and prepares for another decade of tournament victories.

Aaron Baddeley's Professional Tournament Victories

1999 Holden Australian Open
2000 Holden Australian Open
2001 Greg Norman Holden International
2006 Verizon Heritage
2007 FBR Open
2007 Mastercard Masters
2011 Northern Trust Open

Mark Wilson Claims Second PGA TOUR Victory of 2011 Season

~ Continued Success - For the second time in three starts, Mark Wilson has earned yet another PGA TOUR victory - the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open. ~

To say that Mark Wilson has recently surprised golf journalists and fans would certainly be an understatement.

Prior to the 2011 Sony Open in Hawaii, Wilson was known as a likeable journeyman who had been successful on various golfing circuits throughout the past decade.

With victories at the 2007 Honda Classic and 2009 Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera-Maya Cancun, along with three wins on the NGA Hooters Tour, Wilson was viewed as a steady late bloomer who had not tasted PGA TOUR success until he was 32-years-old.

Yet, Wilson's life, career, and reputation as a competitor has suddenly changed - all within a three-week-long time span.

Last month, Wilson arrived at the Sony Open in Hawaii hoping to play solid golf and to begin the season with a consisent performance. He did that - and more - as he ultimately defeated Tim Clark and Steve Marino by two strokes for his third PGA TOUR victory. In doing so, he also acquired his first berth into the Masters Tournament, which will be conducted during the first week of April.

If golf fans viewed Wilson's Sony Open victory as nothing more than a fluke, they may now be second-guessing their original opinions of the Wisconsin-born golfer.

With a final round score of two-under-par 69, Wilson finished the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open tied for the lead with Jason Dufner, another journeyman golfer who has enjoyed success on the PGA TOUR in recent years.

Upon birdieing the second hole of the tournament's sudden death playoff, Wilson's standing within the golf world dramatically improved. As a result of his second PGA TOUR victory in a month, Wilson now leads the 2011 FedEx Cup standings - by a whopping 336 points over Jhonattan Vegas, who also shocked the golf industry by winning the 2011 Bob Hope Classic two weeks ago.

In addition, Wilson currently leads the TOUR's money list with $2,098,700. Such a hot start would typically be expected from an experienced champion like Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson...but from Wilson? Who could have possibly anticipated such success from a golfer who finished 131st in last year's FedEx Cup regular season standings?

Even Wilson himself has been pleasantly surprised by his results thus far in 2011.

"It's crazy. This is the best golf I've played in my life and I'm just riding the wave," he stated after defeating Dufner. "I'm just enjoying the ride here and that's just kind of the way I'm going to look at the year here, just ride this train as long as I can."

If Wilson continues to "ride (the) train" this well throughout the remainder of the season, his competitors, as well as his fans, should not be surprised if he adds more hardware to his trophy collection before the end of the 2011 season.

With a steady game and an optimistic attitude, Wilson appears to be prepared for the future - and for continuous tournament success as the TOUR's West Coast Swing concludes within the next couple weeks.

For now, Wilson will likely reflect on the past month and look forward to the TOUR's next tournament - the 2011 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at the world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links.

2011 FedEx Cup Standings (as of February 7th, 2011)

1.) Mark Wilson, 1,008 points
2.) Jhonattan Vegas, 672 points
3.) Bubba Watson, 584 points
4.) Jonathan Byrd, 566 points
5.) Bill Haas, 441 points

2011 PGA TOUR Money Leaders (as of February 7th, 2011)

1.) Mark Wilson, $2,098,700
2.) Jhonattan Vegas, $1,248,280
3.) Jonathan Byrd, $1,174,666
4.) Bubba Watson, $1,143,134
5.) Bill Haas, $809,934